Ronaldo is in Abu Dhabi — remember the red card from his previous trip

Cristiano Ronaldo is back in Abu Dhabi, this time for a mid-season friendly against UAE Pro League side Al Wahda. The visit brings back memories of his last appearance in the capital city, which ended in controversy and heartbreak during the Saudi Super Cup semi-final in April 2024.

That fateful evening saw Ronaldo's Al-Nassr suffer a painful 2-1 defeat to arch-rivals Al-Hilal, with the Portuguese icon receiving a straight red card in the closing stages. In an interesting twist of fate, Jorge Jesus, who was managing Al-Hilal that night, is now at the helm of Al-Nassr and brings his squad to Abu Dhabi during the Arab Cup mid-season break for this friendly fixture.

The dramatic moment occurred in the 86th minute at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium, with Al-Nassr already trailing by two goals. Frustration overwhelmed the then-39-year-old forward when he became involved in a physical altercation with Al-Hilal defender Ali Al-Bulayhi near the touchline while attempting to take a quick throw-in. The referee showed no hesitation in brandishing a straight red card after Ronaldo elbowed his opponent.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner's reaction was equally explosive. Visibly incensed by the decision, he momentarily appeared to raise a fist toward the referee before being pulled away by his teammates. His exit from the pitch was marked by defiant, sarcastic applause directed at the crowd, who had jeered him relentlessly throughout the match.

Al-Hilal had dominated proceedings, establishing a commanding two-goal advantage through strikes from Salem Al-Dawsari and Malcolm. Despite Sadio Mané's injury-time consolation goal for Al-Nassr, the comeback never materialized.

The dismissal represented Ronaldo's first red card since his high-profile move to Saudi Arabia in December 2022, adding another heated chapter to the fierce rivalry between the two Riyadh powerhouses. The defeat knocked Al-Nassr out of the competition and dealt a significant blow to their domestic trophy ambitions for the 2023-2024 season. Al-Hilal proceeded to lift the Saudi Super Cup trophy.

This time the stakes are much lower. With the Saudi Pro League on pause for the Arab Cup, Al Nassr have made the trip to Abu Dhabi for a friendly meeting with Al Wahda tonight at 7.30 PM. It gives Jorge Jesus a useful chance to keep his players sharp and maintain the rhythm that has carried them to a perfect start in the league, with nine wins from nine.

Cristiano Ronaldo is also pushing hard to end his trophy drought this season. Even though the stakes are lower, the fans are fired up to see Ronaldo and the rest of the stars up close.